Science Project Supplies

Container with a lid for storing the water (an old milk jug works well - just make sure you clean it out before gathering the water).

Find a local stream or pond and fill your container with water. You don't need to gather mucky, dirty water - clear water is fine. Place a drop of the water on your depression slide and look at it under the microscope - specifically at 100x and 400x magnification. Can you locate some bacteria? The image below shows some of what you might find in your collected water.

Bacteria under the microscope.

Next, fill a pot with your pond water and boil the water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Once the water has cooled, place a drop of your boiled water under the microscope. Have the bacteria disappeared? Would you feel safe drinking this water? What remains under the microscope after the water was boiled?

If you are presenting your science project to your class, show images or drawings of what was under the microscope both before and after you boiled the water. Explain what caused the water contents to change.